You gotta love me for trying..

...no this isn't about those blasted OTK boots. 

Culottes. 

Or.... a midi skirt.  As actually I can't really see the difference between the two.  Well, let me rephrase that.  Yes because actually I'm talking a whole lot of tripe, there are midi skirts and there are midi skirts...  I'm talking about an A-line flat fronted, no waistband midi skirt, ie my leather one that I have from Whistles.  That basically looks like a pair of culottes. (ish....) 

So the reason that these have come to mind today, is because I'm still in New York mode.  Packing on the brain.  Whilst luggage allowance is clearly not a problem (the novelty of not flying Ryanair - will I know I'm born?!) clearly I need to pack cleverly as the excess room in my suitcase could then be filled with... oh I don't know... loads of Hershey bars for the kids?  (chocolate that smells of vomit - I don't think so....)  Or maybe I may just have to raid JCrew.... Little bit of Club Monaco thrown in.  And I'm sure I can find some other bargains too. 

However I can't rely on buying things out there to wear.  That is a very risky plan indeed (and we've all done it in the past haven't we?  And then ended up wearing the same pair of scabby jeans for three days as you can't find anything else for love nor money that you want to buy.. .. oh only me then...) 

I need to pack very cleverly.   Let's assume it's not going to snow (we all know what assume makes, don't we?  Moving swiftly on).  So we're going black.  Check.  I'm not going to be taking loads of shoes with me (I'm not taking any shoes actually - only boots)  At the moment (ignoring the Lowland's that I don't own.. and the practical ones I will have to take - probably my Seven Boot Lane Caitlyn's as they have a track sole, are flat and are warm, oh and I'm not planning on hiking through any snow drifts, parks or fields) I'm thinking my Toga Pullas and my wedge leopard print boots.  And maybe my M&S shoe boots.....

These all work really well with my leather midi skirt.  (ok so the TP boots not so much - they look better with a shorter skirt and skinnies - watch this space for the latter) 

And I think they'd also work really well with... a pair of culottes.  So I'm going in.  Well, I'm going on a hunt.  I made the mistake of seeing these Whistles ones below in a magazine, obviously they then went into the sale - in fact they went down to £35 at John Lewis and Whistles themselves, yet they are £108 at ASOS.  Of course the only place that has them left in stock.  *cue irritated much face*

I love the idea of these - now for the Winter with a black polo neck, I think they are such a fantastic alternative night out look.  Not sure I love it with the white sleeveless polo neck, I think I would definitely prefer a black one.  Instant Spring outfit.   Or I love the idea of a black crisp fitted shirt tucked in.  Smart and serious on top, sexy (god I hate that word) lace on the bottom - great juxtaposition of fabrics and looks. 

Whistles Culottes were £155 now £108

I did also manage to find some at Coast though.. and cheaper.... Will they be long enough for me?  I'm going to see if I can try them on on Thursday and I'll report back.  I fear they may be too short for a tallie like me.

Black Rylene Lace Culottes were £75 now £39






Now - another idea and this maybe wouldn't work for NY as, as much as I love navy and black together, I think I might do a whole European black chic thing when I'm there (I appreciate I sound like a slight tool here....) - but I keep being drawn to the navy culottes (NOTHING to do with my new navy shoe boots from Dorothy Perkins - nada, zilch, squat.  Total coincidence.)  

I may have just remembered a rather large Birthday Lunch I have coming up in London - ooh that'll be next week.  I'm thinking maybe a navy ensemble....

ASOS culottes with tuxedo detail in navy £35 (pockets and everything)






ASOS culottes in navy were £30 now £15





However back to things that go with black and camel and hey ho... these in grey.  Oh these with a black polo neck and all those black knee high pointy stiletto boots that I threw away years ago as I thought I'd never wear them again (DARN IT) - perfection in an outfit.  The ideal NY lunch gig, no?

ASOS Premium Bonded Culotte in check £45




These ones look slightly more tailored - again in black.  Swoon. (remember that black off the shoulder number from Reiss that I had on a week or so ago? - yes please.  Not cropped though.  Dear Lord, not cropped)

Bardot Culottes £50



Again more tailored and again in grey - a bargain (model is 5ft9.5 by the way..) 

ASOS Casual Culottes were £45 now £27



These are ones that, following my new Resolution, I definitely can't buy.  A leather pair.  Far too similar to my black leather midi skirt but these with knee high boots, or a pair of sneakers for warmer days - gorgeous.  

Leather-look culottes from Topshop £35



This post has also given me some ideas for footwear.  I think we need to look at shoes that will take us from now into Spring.  Nothing to do with me seeing a perfect perfect pair today that would seamlessly with every single pair of culottes above and every single pair of jeans I can think of.  Not to mention a whole host of other wardrobe staples.  We all need this shoe, believe me.  Coming soon..... 

In the meantime, I have come to the conclusion that I need a pair of Camel culottes.  The one thing I couldn't find.  The one thing I Nearly ordered from Mango about five times but never did as they didn't go with my Winter wardrobe.   However now they will.  Oh yes, there is nothing that haunts us like those things that we didn't buy. 

I'm not going to make the same mistake with the navy ones though.  They are a must for the next couple of months, I think. 

How is everyone else getting on with culottes?  Are you ahead of the game and have you been wearing them for months and months?  Or, like me (slowwwwwwwww) just getting your head round them and gearing up for a new addition to your 2015 wardrobe?

Finishing with my outfit from yesterday.  All super old bar my Caitlyn boots and yes, another sneaky sales purchase which I'll report back on tomorrow...